Golden Dawn MP Ilias Panagiotaros has told Australian television that the far-right party would like to resemble the Lebanon-based Islamic militant group.

Speaking to the SBS Dateline program, the lawmaker said: “Golden Dawn wants to become, and will become, like Hezbollah in Lebanon, which is in effect a second government that helps even the last of its poor citizens.”

“As time passes, Golden Dawn will do more for our fellow citizens,” he added.

Panagiotaros was speaking on May 2, when Golden Dawn was prevented from handing out food at Syntagma Square and another of the party’s lawmakers, Giorgos Germenis, attempted to attack Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis.

Germenis was stopped by Kaminis’s bodyguards, who also deterred the MP from drawing a firearm he was carrying.

In the Australian program, Panagiotaros was also filmed with a sidearm. He said it was to protect himself against threats from “anarchists and terrorists”.

On Tuesday, parliamentary speaker Evangelos Meimarakis informed parties that all MPs would have to pass through metal detectors to enter the House and would not be allowed to bring guns into Parliament.

In the SBS program, Panagiotaros also suggests that rather than commit suicide, they should "kill those responsible" for the crisis. When questioned who he is talking about, the Golden Dawn MP says: "bankers."